At this week’s EU-Afghanistan donor conference (3 to 4 October) over 70 countries and 20 international organisations and agencies came together in Brussels to discuss Afghanistan’s development. Although political cooperation and financial support were the main focus of the conference, the gathering was gathering controversy months ahead due to a leaked file published by the Guardian in March 2016. The document revealed the EU’s plans to make assistance “migration sensitive” and required a commitment by Afghanistan to readmit an unlimited number of Afghan citizens that were not granted asylum in Europe.

The European Parliament is set to hold a debate on Sudan and Fundamental Freedoms and Human Rights. A draft motion for a resolution on Sudan will be debated, in which the European Union is critical of the situation of human rights in Sudan. The Parliament also asks to be fully informed on the dialogues under the Khartoum Process.

This week marks the 15th year since Eritrean authorities arrested a group ministers, members of parliament and independent journalists. They have not been charged or tried, their whereabouts and state of health are unknown.

Last week Eritrean Ministers and Presidential advisor Yemane Gebreab met with German officials. The Eritrean government claimed that the delegation held talks with the German Federal Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development on what was said to be based on “mutual relations and economic cooperation.”

The Financial Newspaper in Norway posted an article on 2% tax that members of the Eritrean diaspora pay to Eritrea. Member of the Norwegian Parliament Bård Vegar Solhjell says that the tax cannot continue. He expects the Norwegian government to take action. The news comes after the Parliament in the Netherlands passed a motion to push for investigation of the tax in the Netherlands and other EU member states.

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